My point is this: to only worship God once or twice a year robs us of true fulfillment on this side of heaven.
“These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.” Matthew 15:8
As we approach the upcoming Christmas holiday, I can't help but ponder the swells of people who will attend church services for the sake of checking off a box with God during this holy time. Maybe you’re one of the individuals who attends church twice a year during Christmas and Easter because you feel like it’s the Godly thing to do.
This worldly mentality is rooted in religion—not relationship—with God.
I don’t want anyone to go through life missing out on the beautiful gift of an intentional relationship with Jesus. My point is this: to only worship God once or twice a year robs us of true fulfillment on this side of heaven. In developing a personal relationship with Christ, we are able to experience immeasurable joy, hope and freedom beyond that of a nominal Christian life.
Religiosity tells us this: if we’re good people who occasionally—or religiously—attend church, follow moral laws and teach our children right from wrong, we’re set for heaven.
If this is the case, why did Jesus, the perfect and holy sacrifice, die on the cross for our sins? If we can earn our salvation by our own means—the philosophy every other religion on earth teaches—what, then, is the point of the cross?
“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.” Ephesians 2:8
Have you ever stopped to consider that Christianity is the only grace-based, as opposed to deeds-based, faith? Our sanctification is entirely because of Jesus—not because of our own religiosity, perfection, or striving.
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’” Matthew 7: 21-23
So, how do we get to know the heart of Jesus?
Seeking to know someone requires intentional time commitments, a conscientious aspiration to understand them, and personal vulnerability. This is what an intimate relationship looks like. This is what Jesus wants with us.
Developing a personal relationship with Christ is beautifully fulfilling. Jesus died for you; he hung on a cross, died, and then rose from that grave so that you could stand before the Father one day, pure and spotless, holy and justified. There will never be another sacrifice that will ever compare; your heart and life, surrendered to the will of God in a faith-filled hope, rooted in Christ Jesus, is the way to eternal life.
Spending time with Jesus will transform your life. As you learn to sit in the presence of the Lord—in the depths of scripture, in listening and praying, and in joining a community of faith-filled believers—you will experience the most real and deep love you have ever known. You will be filled with the truest, overflowing joy that can only be experienced because of redeeming grace.
So, how do we intentionally grow into a deeper relationship with the Lord? Here are a few practices you can incorporate into your daily routine to experience a more fulfilling walk with God. I implore you to make time for Jesus.
1. Carve out Time for the Bible
Carve out time to read your Bible; there’s transformative power in the Word of God.
“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12
Reading the Bible will change your life. While reading Scripture might start out as a simple discipline—an act of obedience—as time goes on, you will love and crave the Word of God more than you could ever imagine. This is why we are so committed to our mission at EEM (Eastern European Mission) -- working to ensure that everyone in Eastern Europe and beyond who wants one can have a Bible in their heart language, free of charge. Once someone who is seeking with an open heart has had a chance to read God’s Word, they can’t help but be impacted by it.
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,” 2 Timothy 3:16
2. Pray
Prayer is powerful; God hears your prayers; He sees you, knows you, and loves you. In prayer, we humbly seek the Lord’s heart and help—diving into further intimacy with Him through personal conversation.
“But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” Matthew 6:6
3. Listen for the Voice of God
In the process of learning God’s heart through Scripture and prayer, we learn the voice of God. It may not sound as we think it should, but we know it by the power of the Holy Spirit that dwells within us.
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” John 10:27
4. Get Involved in a Faith-filled Community
You might be against organized religion. Maybe you’ve experienced church hurt. For that, I’m so sorry. That’s not God’s design, nor is it the heart of Jesus. I encourage you to find a church community of believers who uplift you and call you higher according to God’s Word—a safe space of faith-filled, Jesus-seeking Christians who worship together, eat together and abide in Christ through the highs and lows of life together.
“Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” Acts 2:46-47
A relationship with Jesus is incomparably redemptive, life-giving, and fulfilling. Religiosity is empty, confusing, and pointless. In preparation of Christmas this year, rather than simply attending a service with a heart posture of ritualistic obligation, consider pursuing an intentional lifelong relationship with Christ so that you don’t deny yourself of something more. Run to the feet of Jesus to spend time with the One who loves you most—the One who already knows the depths of your heart. Come and see what true freedom looks like—freedom from bondage, brokenness, and fear. Get to know the real Jesus. I can guarantee you that it’s immensely more than you could ever ask or imagine.
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” John 10:10
Bob Burckle and Dirk Smith are President and Vice President, respectively, of EEM (Eastern European Mission), which has been providing Bibles to the people of Eastern Europe since 1961, now reaching 32 countries in 25 languages. They launched their “Million Dollar Sunday” fundraising campaign to fund the distribution of 700,000 Bibles and are still accepting donations until midnight on 12/31/22. See more and donate at www.eem.org/mds.
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/DedMityay
